The Intel Vaunt turned to simplicity in solving the problems that brought down Google Glass, and the new smart glasses looks to have much more potential in the consumer market because of it.
Google Glass wearers out in public were once called "Glassholes," and were kicked out of establishments as people thought that the Google Glass was recording everything that the wearer saw. Looking at Intel's Vaunt, there is no way that people will get a similar stigma against the wearable device.
Meet The Intel Vaunt Smart Glasses
Intel provided the first exclusive look at the Vaunt smart glasses to The Verge, which gained access to a prototype of the device in December.
The most important difference between the Intel Vaunt and the Google Glass, which is the wearable device that it will surely be compared with, is that it looks like regular eyeglasses.
"There is no camera to creep people out, no button to push, no gesture area to swipe, no glowing LCD screen, no weird arm floating in front of the lens, no speaker, and no microphone (for now)," wrote The Verge's Dieter Bohn.
In comparison, the Intel Vaunt prototype felt just like normal glasses, and can even come in various styles and will work with prescription lenses. There is a small red light that will sometimes be seen on the right lens, but people will likely not know that the wearer has smart glasses on, unlike with the Google Glass.
The red light comes from the low-powered laser which shines a monochromatic image onto a holographic reflector on the right lens. The image is then reflected to the wearer's retina, which allows the wearer to see the heads-up display that the device enables. Meanwhile, on the left side of the device are its electronics, for equal weight distribution. Intel is also reportedly planning to integrate Alexa for voice control and a microphone into the smart glasses.
To expand the program, Intel will launch an early access program this year. The program will give developers the chance to create apps for the Intel Vaunt, the release date of which to the public is still unknown.
Intel Vaunt vs Google Glass vs Snap Spectacles
One of the things that made the Snap Spectacles so popular when they were released in late 2016 was its simplicity. It allowed users to easily record 10-second videos, which are then sent to the Snapchat app.
Intel Vaunt goes with the same simplicity, but looks to carry the same usefulness as the Google Glass. As such, it can be said that the Intel Vaunt is somewhere in the middle of the two smart glasses, balancing functionality and simplicity for what may be the first attempt at technology with long-term success.
